Mayors help Heart and Stroke Foundation through friendly bet

Everybody’s a winner with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Alberta fundraiser “The Mayors Red Dress Challenge” except for the losing city’s mayor.

The mayor who fails to raise the most money during this fundraising campaign between Bob Tarleck of Lethbridge and Norm Boucher of Medicine Hat will have to wear the other mayor’s respective WHL team jersey to a city council meeting.

To create awareness for this cause, the two mayors voluntarily wore a red dress at a WHL hockey game in their hometown. Tarleck, escorted by TV personality Dory Rossiter, showcased his red dress at the Feb. 14 Hurricanes game, while Boucher showed off his elegant attire in Medicine Hat on Feb. 26.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation initiated the challenge at the start of last month as February is heart month. The organization figured this would be a beneficial way to raise funds and awareness for the disease.

As of this writing mayor Tarleck has raised $2884, while mayor Boucher has raised $1525. The winner will be decided on March 3.

“The dollars raised have been wonderful, but so has the awareness it’s generated,” said Stan Heller, southern Alberta’s area manager.

The campaign concluded the end of February.

However, the organization continued to tabulate donations received through mail in the days following.   

Heller said the importance of the WHL hockey teams to their communities was the reason he joined with these organizations to raise money.  

“It seemed so natural to invite their support,” said Heller since the Heart and Stroke Foundation has a great partnership with these clubs.

Many people have stepped up to donate for this challenge, as they don’t want to see their mayor don the rival team’s jersey.

John Frouw, who is 90 years old and a former Lethbridge city transit manager, made his $1,000 donation for exactly that reason.

Heart disease is the number one killer among women in Alberta. The money raised from this campaign will go towards heart research.

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